The mainstreaming of additive manufacturing

The heist at the center of the 2018 ensemble comedy movie Ocean's 8 required the protagonists to switch valuable jewels for 3-D-printed copies. "Replicators," which generate food or tools from basic raw materials, have been a staple of science fiction in film and TV for generations. Yet while Hollywood has been quick to seize on the potential of additive manufacturing (AM), these technologies have been slow to find their blockbuster applications in real-world manufacturing. Compared with traditional production approaches, AM technologies offer four potential sources of value. First, their ability to generate almost any 3-D shape allows designers the freedom to create parts that perform better or cost less than conventional alternatives.